CHIANG MAI – A chaotic scene erupted in Chiang Mai when a male tourist was spotted walking naked at the Rin Kham intersection on Nimmanhaemin Road, in the city centre. Officers rushed to the area to assess the situation and prevent harm.
Police said the man showed signs of a psychiatric condition, had missed his medication, and had been drinking while on holiday with his family. He received initial assistance and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
The incident happened late Sunday night, witnesses reported a large-built man naked walking along the Super Highway near the Rin Kham junction, heading towards Nimmanhaemin Road. The sight startled passers-by, many of whom recorded the scene.
Police and volunteers from the Katanyu Thamkuson rescue team were called to respond.
Officers approached the man and tried to help, using a towel to cover him. He appeared disoriented and intoxicated. After a period of calm conversation, he settled and agreed to cover himself with the towel.
Authorities initially planned to escort him back to his nearby hotel. His family, however, asked that he be taken to the hospital instead, worried he might cause harm or damage if left untreated. Officers acted on the family’s request.
Police spoke with relatives and learned that the man is 32 and lives with a mental health condition. He had travelled to Chiang Mai with his family for the holidays, but had not taken his prescribed medication and had consumed a large amount of alcohol.
This likely triggered hallucinations and led to the incident. He was admitted to Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital. Once his condition improves, police will invite him and his family to give a detailed statement at the station.
Public Nudity in Thailand
Public nudity in Thailand is strictly illegal under Section 388 of the Thai Criminal Code, which prohibits “indecent acts” in public places. Penalties include fines up to 5,000 baht (about $140 USD), imprisonment up to one year, or both.
Violators, especially tourists, often face visa revocation, deportation, and blacklisting from re-entering the country.
Enforcement is stricter in tourist hotspots like Phuket, Pattaya, and Koh Phangan due to complaints about cultural disrespect. While private naturist resorts exist (e.g., Dragonfly Naturist Village near Pattaya), nudity on public beaches, streets, or during events like Full Moon Parties is not tolerated and has led to crackdowns, including signage campaigns.
Thailand sees recurring cases of public nudity, often linked to intoxication, drugs, mental health issues, or deliberate provocation by tourists. These frequently go viral on social media, sparking public outrage and calls for better tourist screening.
| Date | Location | Details | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | Patong, Phuket (Walking Street) | British tourist (44, Aidan Jesse Phillimore) stripped naked, danced, and shouted while high on illegal “dung mushrooms”; visa overstayed by 162 days. | Arrested; faces charges for public indecency, drug possession, and visa violation; detention in Bangkok, deportation, and blacklist. | |
| Sep 2025 | Patong, Phuket (roadside) | An unidentified foreign man walked naked along a busy road, shouted obscenities at tourists/motorists, and assaulted a police officer. | Subdued and handcuffed; charged under Section 388 (fine up to 5,000 baht); motive unclear, possibly drugs/alcohol. | |
| Sep 2025 | Phuket (Chalermprakiat Road) | Russian tourist (23, Georgii) filmed simulating sex acts (partially nude) with a hired Thai woman in a pickup truck bed while driving through traffic. | Arrested for public indecency; visa revoked, deported, blacklisted; accomplice (driver) charged with facilitation. | |
| Apr 2025 | Koh Phangan (Ban Tai Road) | Polish couple (27M Michal, 24F Klaudia) hugged naked in the middle of a road in broad daylight, claiming it was “expressing love.” | Arrested; woman fined 5,000 baht and released; man hospitalized for mental health evaluation; both deported, visas revoked. | |
| Apr 2025 | Phuket Town (Rattanakosin 200 Years Road) | A drunk foreign tourist stumbled naked through a historic street, posing for videos amid crowds. | No arrest reported; the incident went viral, highlighting visa-free tourist issues; locals demanded stricter enforcement. | |
| Feb 2025 | Wichit, Phuket (Soi Ta-Iad) | An unidentified foreign man walked naked into a 7-Eleven convenience store and around its parking lot, ignoring shocked bystanders. | No immediate arrest; sparked public concerns about foreign behavior; potential fine under Section 388. | |
| Apr 2025 | Pattaya (Walking Street entrance) | A Chinese couple (Zhihang and partner) stripped naked and filmed sex on a crowded sidewalk near the nightlife district. | Tracked to the hotel and arrested; fined up to 5,000 baht each for indecency; an additional 100,000 baht fine is possible under the Computer Crime Act for the video. The man claimed it was “artistic photography.” | |
| Nov 2022 | Unspecified Thai beach | British man (age unspecified) found passed out naked after a two-day bender; no memory of events. | Detained briefly; released after sobering up; no charges mentioned, but highlighted alcohol-related risks. | |
| Mar 2017 | Bangkok (Khao San Road) | A British female backpacker (mid-30s) walked naked through a busy tourist street; she had been missing for days, possibly disoriented. | Apprehended peacefully; assessed for mental health; no charges, treated as a welfare case. | |
| Dec 2017 | Bangkok (temple) | Two US tourists (Joseph Dasilva, Travis Armstrong) took naked selfies (“belfies”) at a temple. | Arrested for public nudity; fined 5,000 baht each; investigated for indecency in worship site and online porn distribution; faced up to 7 years if escalated. | |
| Jul 2019 | Krabi (beach) | A group of six tourists (British, Australian, Spanish, Japanese) skinny-dipped naked after bars closed early for Buddhist Lent. | Ordered out of the water, fined 400 baht each for indecency; two others in the group avoided charges. | |
| 2011-2012 | Bangkok (Songkran festival & TV show) | Female participants: topless dancing at Songkran water festival; bare-breast body painting on “Thailand’s Got Talent.” | Public backlash and fines sparked national debates on cultural clashes, emotions, and feminism vs. conservatism. No arrests reported. |
These cases underscore Thailand’s balance between welcoming 40M+ tourists annually and preserving public order. For naturists, stick to licensed resorts to avoid issues.
